Celtics Journal: Allens 3-point shooting opened the floodgates

NEW YORK ó Ray Allen has played so many games at Madison Square Garden that he canít possibly count them, but he certainly can add to the highlights.

By KEVIN McNAMARA | | Journal Sports Writer

NEW YORK - Ray Allen has played so many games at Madison SquareGarden that he can't possibly count them, but he certainly can addto the highlights.

Allen hit a running, game-winning shot in a Big East Tournamentfinal eons ago for the Connecticut Huskies. That was his signaturemoment at the Garden as a collegian. What he did Friday nightagainst the New York Knicks is certainly a strong submission forhis professional career. The veteran shooter fired home eight3-pointers on 11 tries to finish with 32 points in the Celtics'113-96 playoff victory over the Knicks.

Allen was joined in the shooting star role by Paul Pierce. Hecanned six 3s and made 14-of-19 shots on his way to a game-high 38points. Rajon Rondo found both shooters all night with 20assists.

"I believe that Rondo played with great speed and our bigs setbig screens," said Allen. "I was able to get open, Paul was able toget open and from there we were able to move the ball around."

Allen's eight 3s tie a Celtics' franchise record for 3-pointersin a playoff game. Allen and Pierce share that mark. Allen hiteight treys in Game Two of the NBA Finals last season, while Piercedid the trick in a game against the 76ers back in 2002.

Coach Doc Rivers credited Rondo with running the offense andcalling a good game, like a baseball catcher. He also pointed outthat the Celtics committed 14 turnovers in the first half, which"really allowed them to stay in the game." When the offense found asmooth rhythm in the third quarter, the sloppiness ended. Bostonfinished with 20 turnovers.

"Shooting the ball makes everyone look great," Rivers said, "butin that third quarter we just talked about simplicity. We talkabout keeping it simple. We use that, literally, 30 times anight."

Rondo's complete game

Rondo's sixth playoff career triple-double was filled withhighlights. He finished with 15 points, 20 assists and 11 rebounds.The 20 assists are the most ever by a Celtic in a playoff game.Rondo held the record by racking up 19 on two previousoccasions.

"I think we put together four quarters," Rondo said. "I think inthe first two games they outplayed us in the first three(quarters), but we executed down the stretch. Tonight as soon as wetook care of the ball in the second half and played our game, weopened the game up."

Stoudemire limited

For the second straight game, the Knicks didn't see much ofAmare Stoudemire, and this time they paid for it.

All of New York spent the last few days wondering just how much,if anything, their big forward was going to be able to give in GameThree of their playoff series against the Celtics. Stoudemirepulled a muscle in his back before Game Two and spent Wednesday,Thursday and Friday receiving nearly constant treatment from teamtrainers. Stoudemire skipped some workouts, and trainers insteadmade house calls to his apartment in Manhattan.

But while a Superman effort from Carmelo Anthony (42 points, 17rebounds) in Game Two made up for Stoudemire's absence, there wereno answers in Game Three. With Anthony kept in check and Stoudemireclearly not himself, the Celtics rolled to a 113-96 blowoutvictory.

It wasn't clear that Stoudemire would even play in Game Threeuntil the final moments leading up to the game. He did start andeventually gutted out 30 minutes, but clearly he lacked theexplosion and quickness that makes him one of the NBA's top stars.Stoudemire finished the game with seven points on 2-of-8 shootingand just three rebounds.

Stoudemire looked out of sorts most of the game. His first shotwas a forced air ball in the opening seconds. He threw up a wildbaseline runner a few minutes later and did not register his firstfield goal until he hit a spinner in the lane with 10 minutes toplay in the first half. He finished the half shooting just 1 of 5for three points in 19 minutes.

Unlike Game Two when the Knicks hurt the Celtics in the lanewithout Stoudemire, this time the Celtics cleaned up inside. TheCelts owned a 22-13 rebound advantage at the half and had 17second-chance points.

Rivers said while he certainly cared if Stoudemire would play,he didn't prepare differing game plans for the Knicks.

"We rarely change what we do," he said. "You don't go out ofyour way to go after a guy. It takes you out of rhythm. We haven'tbeen in great rhythm. We're more worried about getting on one."

Both teams seemed resigned that guard Chauncey Billups wouldn'tplay for the Knicks. He received a cortisone shot in his injuredknee on Wednesday, which drained a significant amount of fluid outof the joint. His status for Game Four on Sunday is unclear.

Board stiffs

For the second straight game, the Celtics were hurt badly on theoffensive boards. It's clear that when a second Boston defenderslides over to help on Anthony, that opens room for other Knickplayers to crash the boards.

Anthony had two of his team's four offensive boards in the firstquarter Friday night when he followed his own misses and scored onthe rebounds. Shawne Williams and Jared Jeffries also hurt theCeltics after chasing down teammates' misses.

In Game Two, the Knicks amassed a 53-37 rebounding advantagewith a 20-9 domination on the offensive glass. Anthony grabbed fiveof his 17 rebounds in that game off the offensive glass.

"As strange as it sounds, there were times in Game Two where youthought you were playing better defense than in Game One onCarmelo. The difference was he was making tough shots," saidRivers.